A Sweet Delight
by Inn0centsmile
Summary: Edmund has always been in love with Turkish Delight but his secret addiction has gotten a little bit out of hand, could he confess his sweet craving for the sake of his sanity? Brotherfic One-shot :


**Disclaimer: **The Chronicles of Narnia owned by C.S. Lewis, Walden media, 20th century fox and previously by Disney, I own the plot though. :)

**A/N**: longest one-shot I've written so far this took 3 days to complete what with all the school work and the upcoming exams, some of the italicized phrases are actually Edmund's thoughts, slight spoiler for the magician's nephew, and yeah, I can't believe Edmund would make such a big a deal of something so small. Please excuse some punctuation mistakes and some grammar errors, please notify me if you see any. anyway Enjoy!

* * *

Outside the castle of Cair Paravel, in the courtyard gardens, King Edmund was reading a book that he found dust-covered in the palace's library, it was a huge black book with a silver inscription on the cover that says: "The Birth of Narnia by King Frank I." ; ever since being introduced to the palace's library, he had been like this all the time, sitting on a foot of a tree, in the courtyard, reading a book, and secretly eating his sweet, sweet, Turkish Delight.

He hadn't really thought about when he started liking them, he knew for a fact, that it was always his mum that brings him some whenever she comes home and he'll be always wanting more. But ever since the incident five years ago, when he betrayed his brother and sisters for his beloved Turkish Delight, he always felt guilty when he ate them, but this didn't stop his addiction to them.

He made sure that Peter, Susan, and Lucy and anyone close to him, think that he gave up his desire for Turkish Delight. He wanted to hide the fact that he loved it because of what it made him feel, he figured that if any of his siblings would catch him eating it, they would hate him. So he kept silent about them and always ate them in secrecy.

He **knew** he was safe in the courtyard that one morning, he ordered the servants to not disturb him, Lucy was with Mrs. Beaver in the kitchens, Susan was busy dealing with a suitor from Calormen and Peter was with Oreius, training.

Or so he thought.

Peter didn't have any training scheduled for the day, so he took his daily walk through the castle through halls and halls and to the outside in the garden of the courtyard, it was as beautiful as ever, flowers blooming, the gurgling of water from the fountain and the sweet smell of** sugar**_?_ at that peculiar smell, as Peter passed through the concrete yard and into the garden where the sweet smell was coming from, he noticed that there were no dryads or birds or animals of any sort. (for in Narnia beasts were as smart as humans, and so King Edmund made sure that not one be there to see him.)

Edmund was reading through the ponderous volume, letting the words sink in as he reached for a small chest to get a piece of his secret sweet, when he was raising it to his lips he heard a rustle behind him which made him stop, he was sitting at a foot of an old oak tree, (which he was sure that was ordinary and not a walking one.) on the side not facing the palace, he took a glimpse of where the rustle came from and found his Brother, Peter, walking by, he quickly gulped down the piece he was about to eat and closed the wooden chest beside him, hiding it under his cape.

Peter walked through the garden still following that sweet scent when he heard something like a piece of wood knocking on another, (which was Edmund closing his chest of Turkish Delight.) He quickened his pace, following where he thought the sound came from and caught a glimpse of a blue piece of cloth bounding about on a root of a tree, he knew at once that it was a cape, a cape of his dear little brother.

Edmund was trying hardly to ease his nerves and trying to act naturally, when he heard a voice, that was definitely from his older brother, that said:

"Ed?"

He gave a deep breath looking around the old tree where he saw Peter. He was trying to stop his voice from quivering from nervousness and finally got the right mind to answer.

"Oh, Pete" he said "It's you." Edmund thought to himself_ great he's going to see my sweets and never let me live it down _(which he was, of course, over exaggerating.)

"I say, Ed, do you smell something sweet?" Peter said as he sat down on the grass in front of Edmund.

Edmund gulped _He's going to force it out of me isn't he? I just know it._ and answered:

"Um, No. No, nothing smells sweet anywhere around here" he said trying to force a smile "Aren't you suppose to be training with Oreius? or something?"

"I'm done training for today." Peter answered directly "Have you noticed there aren't any animals around here? Usually there are tons of them?"

Edmund gave a wild forced laughed _He's getting too inquisitive, he knows, somehow..._

"No, Not at all maybe they're sleeping. somewhere. over the rainbow." _over the rainbow? what was that?_

"O-K..." Peter answered rolling his eyes.

Edmund felt like exploding from the pressure he is having right now, he felt his sweat dripping down his forehead._ I need to get out of here._

"Ed? Are you alright? You're sweating..."

"Yes, Yes, I'm perfectly fine..." Edmund answered staggering about to stand, making sure the chest was safely tucked behind him _need. to. run. away._

"Are you sure?" Peter asked using his right hand to stand.

Edmund gave a whimpering sound and began to walk backwards around the tree, looking at Peter; He almost tripped over a root of the oak, which made the chest fall behind him without him noticing, and ran towards the castle.

Peter only stared at his brother as he ran clumsily into the castle,

"What happened to him?" Peter told himself.

That afternoon, Peter decided to find his brother and give him the Chest that he found lying on the grass at the foot of the tree, which he found when he almost tripped over it, He resisted the urge to open it, for He knew that the chest was one of Ed's personal keepsakes.

He was walking to Edmund's Bed Chambers when a voice in his head started annoying him, saying: Open it... Open it..., and He then remembered the tale of one the first Sons of Adam in Narnia, the old rhyme...

_"Make your choice, adventurous stranger;_

_Strike the bell and bide the danger,_

_Or wonder, till it drives you mad,_

_What would have followed if you had_."

He shook his head trying to make the voice go away, He knew for one, that the old tale didn't end very well, that was when the White Witch awoke; And that nothing good could come out of his curiosities. But he couldn't handle it anymore, he lost his respect for his brother and for himself and took hold of the lid and lifted it slowly.

"Peter?" a familiar voice said

Peter dropped the lid hastily, hiding the chest behind him startled at the sudden call.

"Susan," Peter said trying to force a smile, he didn't know himself, why he was hiding the box but it only felt proper.

"What is that?" Susan asked

"What's what?"

"That, the one you're holding."

"This?"

"No, That."

it took another few seconds of irrelevant conversing.

"What are we talking about?" Peter said

"Oh, bother," Susan said rolling her eyes "Forget it, anyway I wanted to ask you if you knew where Lucy is."

Peter stared around thinking of the answer and finally answered:

"She's in the library. I think,"

"Alright, thanks" Susan said as she turned around and walked away.

Peter waited until Susan turned the corner, taking one last curious look at him and walked on.

Peter sighed in relief and walked on to Edmund's Bed Chambers, not forgetting his curiosity over the chest.

Edmund was frantically searching his room for his lost chest, he only found out that it was missing about an hour ago, the moment he entered the room trying to forget how Peter came so close on his secret; the room was a total mess, bed covers sprawled to the ground, cabinet and wardrobe doors open, precious gems, emeralds, and diamonds littered on the floor.

He was searching under his bed, when a knock came from his doors, he quickly stood up and hit his head hard on the underside of his bed, he whimpered grabbing hold of the sore spot on the back of his head and answered:

"Just a moment." and, like lightning, he cleaned everything up, put everything on their right place, grabbed a book and went to the door; all in under 5 minutes.

"Pete," Edmund said seeing his older brother behind his doors.

"Uh, I just came here to give you this," Peter said presenting Edmund's precious chest of sweets.

Edmund stared at the wooden chest in the hands of his brother, a thousand thoughts running through his head.

"Did- did you look i-inside?" Edmund asked nervously.

"I wanted to, but no, i didn't."

Ed grabbed the wooden chest out of Peter's hands and quickly placing it on his nightstand.

Peter entered Edmund's bed chambers and sat on one of Edmund's chairs that stood in front of the fireplace, staring at the Sun outside about to set.

"Ed," Peter said recalling the earlier events in the courtyard. "We're you feeling alright earlier?"

"Earlier?" Edmund asked turning to Peter's direction.

"This morning in the courtyard gardens." Peter said looking quizzically at Edmund.

Edmund froze remembering his deviant time this morning.

"Uh, yes" Edmund answered dropping his gaze from Peter.

"Hm, you seemed a bit... off" Peter said, "Were you hiding something? or rather **ARE **you hiding something?"

Peter waited for an answer, but Edmund kept silent.

"I do remember 10 years ago, when you were hiding a stash of sweets, I was the one who found out that you were the thief of the missing sweets."

By this time Edmund's brain was going haywire thinking of a way to get out of this awful circumstances.

Peter stood up walking towards Edmund with a mug look in his face, looking intently at the poker face his brother was giving him.

"Edmund, **ARE** you hiding something?"

Edmund took a quick glance at the wooden chest making sure it was where he left it, unfortunately Peter noticed his glance.

"Does it have something to do with that chest of yours?" Peter asked.

Edmund never let a second pass as he grabbed the chest securing it in between his hands.

Peter inched closer and closer to Edmund waiting for an answer.

Edmund only moved back until his shin hit the side of the bed, his silver crown fell off of his head and he was forced to sit.

"I'm sorry," Peter said seeing that intimidation won't work. "My curiosity got the best of me; if you don't want to tell me, it's alright I understand."

Edmund calmed down a bit.

"But remember, if you need someone to share something you've been hiding, that you think that you're gonna burst if you won't let it out." Peter said.

_Oh No, No, not that don't do that _Edmund's mind said looking at those blue eyes of his brother pulling the truth out of him.

Peter noticed that Edmund tensed and relaxed at the same time. He knew he's plan was working.

"I'll always be here for my dear, dear, little brother." Peter smirked inwardly knowing his brother won't last long.

_I won't give, I won't give._

Edmund kept silent.

"Well, remember what I'm telling you now" Peter said as he walked away to the double doors.

Edmund gave a long sigh of relief as Peter left and closed the doors behind him. he placed the chest back on the night stand and said:

"Peter's gonna find out sooner or later."

Meanwhile, The High King was heading for his own bed chambers deep in thought about what was inside Edmund's Wooden chest. When suddenly **BAM!**

"Peter! are you okay?"

Peter quickly placed his hand on his face to ease the pain, his vision was a bit of a blur but he could make out a small figure beside him, which could only be his youngest sister.

"I'm okay." Peter answered.

"Are you sure?" Lucy asked. "You hit that wall pretty hard."

Peter looked at his hand and saw a reddish blot on his palm.

"You're bleeding!" Lucy Exclaimed "Is your nose broken?"

"No, No I'm fine, really."

"Here" Lucy said, as she handed Peter a piece of cloth.

Peter wiped his face clean, Blood clear on the white cloth.

At the exact moment Peter hit the wall, Edmund was in his chambers, when he suddenly had the urge to laugh. (Yes, we may think that it was what happened to Peter that he had that urge.)

Anyway, Lucy walked with Peter to his bed chambers making sure he was alright.

"I'm okay Lucy, really"

"Are you sure? you don't look okay to me."

"Yes, I'm perfectly fine."

"Alright" Lucy answered as she left Peter to himself in his chambers.

Peter closed the huge double doors and checked himself in the mirror.

"Lucy was right, I don't look too good."

After washing his face in his private bathroom he went out to his balcony looking at the great white moon in the sky, He was still thinking about that wooden chest of his brother's, Anything that gets his brother to act that way must be something totally embarrassing or horrifying he said to himself.

From his balcony he could see below the outer yard of the palace it was quiet, but the animals that weren't around in the courtyard that morning, was all there. a little to his left above the gardens was his brother's balcony; for his was at a higher floor, he saw his brother sitting on a steel chair, reading the same book this morning and... Eating form the wooden box? Peter squinted his eyes looking closer, it was to dark to be sure but the small torch on the balcony of Edmund was enough to answer Peter's suspicions.

Peter's eyes grew wide as he realized what was inside the box, he now knew what made Edmund to act as such. Just then Edmund glanced to his direction and he quickly ducked. he peaked through the small concrete columns of his balcony and saw Edmund munching away, which he figured that he wasn't seen.

Earlier, Edmund finally got rid of all the day's happenings. He took his book and his precious chest and went outside on his balcony, he looked left and right and up and down, looking for people that might see him, he lit the torch outside and opened his book, he wasn't too worried about birds cause they'll be asleep by now and there aren't many owls around Cair Paravel.

Edmund was deep in his book, eating away his Turkish delight. When he suddenly got the feeling that he was being watched. He closed his book and looked around but there didn't seem to be anyone in sight, so he continued on.

Peter was lying on his bed, thinking, "Why would Edmund, create such a fuss about sweets?" this ran through his head and again and again until he remembered five years ago, when they first entered Narnia. How that simple sweet changed his brother so much.

He sat up deciding whether to go talk to Edmund now or wait till He was ready to tell him. Peter figured that it was better to wait for Edmund to make the first move, so he lied back down and drifted off to sleep.

Edmund was still reading his book on the balcony, no longer eating the Turkish Delight. He gave a loud yawn and decided to turn in for the night.

He didn't have such a good dream that night, Edmund taught that his conscience was playing with his mind, _is that even possible?_

Edmund dreamed about what could have happened if Peter were to find out about his sweet addiction _It's not like his going to mock me._

In said dream, the familiar array of the Narnian sun was blazed across the throne room of Cair Paravel. but something was different, It was too bright in the room for it to be real, then Edmund noticed that the hall was dotted with mirrors. He stood from his throne looking at the empty room and to each mirror where could see two different kinds of reflections, One was him as a ten year-old dressed as he was when he was in Finchley and the other another ten year-old him dressed as he was when he was crowned King of Narnia under Peter.

He stopped where two mirrors faced each other directly upon looking at one you can see an endless row of mirrors and so with the other at a sound of a lion's roar all the other mirrors broke leaving the two he was standing in between. to his left the child from finchley was looking at him and on his right a young king looked back at him.

The weirdest thing happened, the reflections started speaking.

"Edmund," said the one on his left, "Peter's going to find out sooner or later."

"Peter's not going to be so happy with you, if he does" said the one on his right.

"You need not worry, Edmund." said the one on his left "Peter will be understanding."

"Don't mind him." said the right "Remember when the war in the real world started, He began bossing you around"

"Peter only wanted to protect Edmund."

"No, He was too much of a moron."

"But Edmund forgave Peter and so did he."

At this point Edmund was getting tiresome and yelled:

"Stop!"

And the two arguing mirrors broke into a thousand pieces, and the light vanished leaving Edmund in a dark fathomless space. He crouched down, not knowing what to do until from the darkness two voices raised.

"Make your choice..." said an icy voice.

"Your heart knows what will be..." said a familiar deep loving voice.

and with another loud roar Edmund woke.

It was the dead of the night not single sound except the rustling of leaves and the ripples of the eastern sea as it collided with the beach.

Edmund tried to fall back to sleep but didn't seem to have the weariness to sleep anymore. so he just lay there thinking about his dream.

When morning came, Edmund was staring into blank space, a bit dazed by the lack of sleep. There was a knock on his doors, followed by a:

"Edmund?"

Edmund snapped out of his state and edged off his bed

"Yes?"

"It's Lucy."

"Just a moment." Edmund said as he grabbed his morning robe. He grabbed the golden handles and pulled open the doors.

"Just wanted to remind you that Susan, Sallowpad and I are going to the dancing lawn for the day." Lucy said "And I don't want you to get into any trouble while we're gone."

"You sound just like Susan." Edmund answered

"Just don't get into your tricks." Lucy said as she walked out and down the hall.

Edmund took a frustrated sigh and closed the doors, He got ready for the day and checked on his precious chest. After going through his morning routines he stepped out of his room adjusting the silver crown on his head. He went through the familiar halls of Cair Paravel and finally reached his destination, the royal dining room.

Peter was sipping from his cup of coffee when his little brother walked in.

"Where's Susan and Lucy?" asked the oh-so-forgetful Edmund.

"They ate breakfast early, they went to the dancing lawn with Sallowpad for the day." answered Peter.

"Oh, right." Edmund said as he sat down his usual place , taking a sip of his apple juice.

Peter and Edmund sat there enjoying the awkward silence between them, when Edmund thought why the usual-big-mouth Peter was quiet, he remembered what had happened yesterday; then his dream.

"Peter," Edmund started.

"Hm?" Peter replied.

"Is it right, to keep a secret, I mean a secret about yourself?"

"Depends" Peter answered straightly.

"I mean, something you know that's... disappointing to others..."

Peter, as a matter-of-fact, like his brother, had a problem with remembering. as Edmund said these words, Peter was oblivious of what he meant and got um... the _wrong_ idea.

"Go on..." Peter said.

"something that you know only will make things worse..."

"like?"

_his making this hard for me isn't he _Edmund searched his mind for a reply.

"You know... umm like... a white lie."

Peter finally understood what Edmund was getting at, he mentally kicked himself for thinking _something else._ he took a deep breath and set his back straight on the chair he was sitting at.

"Ed, remember what I told you yesterday? if you need someone to share something you've been hiding you can tell me, I won't be angry or hateful, promise. whether if it's a big deal or not.

Edmund thought about what Peter had said and saw that he really **WAS **making a big of a deal of such a simple addiction.

"Promise you won't hate and or hurt me." Edmund said

"Alright, I promise." Peter said.

And with that Edmund took a deep breath and told Peter everything up to the smallest detail, what had happened at the gardens and last night even about his dream, Edmund was unstoppable he gave his heart out, word after word.

Edmund was in a state of great relief when he was done while he just stared at the relieved-shocked face of his older brother.

Peter was speechless he knew that Edmund had an addiction but He never really knew it was a big of a deal as this.

The two just stared at each other for almost what felt like hours when Peter spoke:

"Wow."

"So you aren't mad?" Edmund asked shyly.

"Not one bit." Peter answered "Why would you think that we'd hate you for that?"

"Well, for starters, I betrayed you just for them." Edmund said dropping his gaze to his plate.

"That's no reason to feel guilty." Peter said (actually it is.)

"So you won't hate me for it?"

"How many times should i answer no?" Peter said. "you've made mistakes in the past but that doesn't have to do with anything you want to do. It's who you are and I'll always love you, whoever you are, besides, you're still my adorable little brother." Peter finished as he stood up and walked to Edmund giving him a brotherly hug.

Edmund only gave a small smile and said:

"Thanks."

"I just wanted to ask you." Peter said "Why make such a big deal of this?"

"Oh, just forget it and don't ruin the moment." Edmund said hugging Peter back.

That night Edmund confessed about his addiction to Lucy and Susan, having Peter behind his back supporting him all the way.

"Finally." Lucy said "Susan and I have been waiting for you to say that for years now."

"You mean, you knew?" Edmund asked

"Well of course." Susan answered. "You're not actually the best lier in the world, and absolutely not the best in hiding things."

"Why haven't I seen him?" Peter asked

"Because you're as oblivious as the most clueless person there is." Susan answered

"You guys are the best." Edmund said as he pulled everyone in for a group hug.

"I promise," Edmund said, "I'll never make a big a deal of something that doesn't need to be."

The siblings only gave a short laugh and Peter said:

"I wish."

* * *

**Advisory**: too much Turkish delight is actually not very good, it's too sugary and high on calories as all sweets are, and as we say here in the Philippines it's _nakakaumay_ or _nakakasuya._

it's up to you if you'll give review but it would be much better, thanks for reading :)


End file.
